Synergy

I first learned about synergy at the Epcot Center inside Disney World many years ago. It had something to do with the whole producing more energy than the sum of the parts...or was it the other way around? Per Wikipedia, synergy is where different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome. Teamwork will produce an overall better result than if each person was working toward the same goal individually.

There have been times in my life when I have been part of a synergistic team. As students at Utah State, Shauna and I volunteered to be part of the relief efforts during the Teton Dam cleanup. There was a feeling among the participants that urged everyone to work a little harder. We fed off each other's energy. In a weird way, I also feel this concept at the Gear Up Seminars we attend each year for work. There are thousands attending for the same purpose of learning all we can about the new tax laws for the upcoming season. Each person could study on their own, but synergy of the combined whole is more conducive to learning.

I can imagine that Amy feels synergy in running her marathons. The individual runners add to the determination to finish. Synergy can be experienced in presidencies and councils, families, employees, neighborhoods, countries, congregations...you name it. Did we feel it after 9-11? Do we feel it in organized service projects or when we attend the Temple? I feel it at Education Week when 30,000 are gathered for the purpose of learning. What about an exciting Jazz game? There is some truth to the idea of "home court advantage".

One of my latest experiences was at the Salt Lake City's Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure. Ryan's work was competing in the fundraiser and got us involved. The synergy was tangible as 16,738 participants gathered in front of West High School...all wearing pink and white...all emotionally attached to a common cause. This was not really a race. Linda, Russ, Chloe and I opted for the one mile Fun Walk. About a hundred yards into the race, the Fun Walkers turned left while the other 3 to 5k runners went on ahead. Our pace was...let's just say the pace was an average between "snail" and "turtle". At one point we even stopped to watch the other participants from the sidelines.

On the other hand, Shannon, Ryan, Hayley and Cooper ventured out with the runners. At first their gait was slow because of the sheer number of people. But as the distance spread, so did the room to run. From our perspective as the runners advanced ahead of us, it appeared to be a mass of white shirts bobbing up and down. Hours later, everyone crossed the finish line...wherever that imaginary line was drawn in the crowd of people congregating at the Gateway Plaza!! (May I say that cell phones were a necessity. Otherwise, two weeks later, we would still be looking for each other in downtown Salt Lake City!)

It was just a sea of pink and white T-shirts. I felt we were actors on the set of Rawhide...head em up, move em out! Linda suggested our experience was much like Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt. And we all wondered what they did for potty breaks in the wilderness!! Survivor participants wore bright pink T-shirts. There were celebrations and congratulations spoken from pink shirt to pink shirt. Some white shirt participants wore tags on their backs indicating they were running in memory of Aunt Clara, or Mom, or Matilda the neighbor... because some don't survive. It was emotional and I was so grateful to be a pink shirter and not a name tag.

In the Wikipedia definition of synergy, they gave the example of two people wanting an apple from a tree. Neither person is tall enough to reach the juicy red apple. But if person A stands on the shoulders of person B, together they can not only pick one apple, but maybe a bushel of apples. I could have participated in the Race For the Cure alone. Ryan and Hayley could have done it without involving the rest of the family. But being there together and with the support of those of you with other responsbilities at home that morning, we combined our energy to make a difference and to create a wonderful memory.

I don't think any of us are tall enough to pick the apples from our trees in life. Figuratively, we have to stand on each others' shoulders. You have certainly allowed me to stand on yours for strength and courage and to stretch a little higher. Hopefully I can be strong when you need someone to stand on to reach your apple. Either way, together we stand very tall...not just in surviving cancer, but in all the concerns of our family. Another word for synergy is LOVE!